by NEVA LOCKETT
Special to Hays Free Press
At 1 p.m. Saturday, at the Buda Public Library, Margie Crisp, writer and nationally exhibited artist, will give us her great stories from and beyond her new book, “River of Contrasts: the Texas Colorado.”
Released in April from A&M University Press, “River of Contrasts” is the fulfillment of five years work for Crisp and reverses the neglect of appreciation for the major river which begins and ends within Texas. With her usual warmth and humor, she will share her life-enlarging experience with us, interweaving the complex stories of the river’s past with the present and future using personal narrative and interviews with landowners and river people. She links local history and lore, natural history, geology and current issues.
The Colorado River is one of the most important rivers in Texas, yet is also one of the most underappreciated. Perceptions of the Colorado have changed over time as has our relationship with water issues. What is the history of dams on the Colorado and who is the LCRA? Does the Colorado flood more than other Texas rivers? How have Superfund Sites along the river impacted people, crops and fishing? What kinds of invasive species have appeared and what impact do they have? What are possible futures for our river?
After years of research, Crisp can share fascinating river narratives. The history of the logjam “raft” in the lower Colorado, how it grew and created extensive marshlands (now long gone), what it meant for early navigation from the first reports in 1690 to how the issue was solved in 1925 dramatically changing farming along the river and the bay area in the process, is simply amazing. I certainly had never heard of the “Twenty Minute War” of 1925. Come with questions!
Crisp created more than 50 hand-colored linocuts, lithographs, silkscreen prints and photographs for this book to illustrate the changing character of the river and its diverse inhabitants. Detailed maps of each section encourage the reader to travel down the river with Crisp as she hikes, wades, kayaks, floats, canoes, and boats the Colorado River from the headwaters at the edge of the Caprock Escarpment down to Matagorda Bay.
On Saturday, Crisp will share these tales, art and maps at the Buda Public Library meeting room: “Flotsam and Jetsam: Best and Worst of the Colorado River.” Her book will be available for purchase and signing. Homemade refreshments will be served and the event, sponsored by the Friends of the Buda Library, is free to all.
